Op-Ed: Stop the Hipster Hate

Un-American to some, symbol of oblivious privilege to others, the urban hipster is a polarizing character. But the stereotype also lays blanket criticism on those simply trying to make people-scaled cities work.

1 minute read

April 22, 2015, 5:00 AM PDT

By Philip Rojc @PhilipRojc


Hipster Cyclists

Steven Depolo / Flickr

In response to Aaron M. Renn's recent defense of "boring cities" in the Guardian, Kevin Klinkenberg comes to the urban hipster's aid. Prompted perhaps by faddish coverage of the "hip" lifestyle, "[Renn] sets up a false dichotomy that cities and urban life are all about excitement, action and trendiness, while suburbs are essentially about what really matters – family, safety and cleanliness."

Klinkenberg argues that a fine-grained urban lifestyle doesn't need to be achingly trendy, and that its so-called hipster purveyors are a more diverse group than the stereotype admits. From the article: "We spend thousands to travel to France and Italy to enjoy those artisanal cheeses, wine, great coffee and slow culture. And then we come back home and...make fun of those who are trying to do just that in the US."

While there are certainly snobs, gentrifiers, and poseurs among the hipster crowd, hipsters are also "reviving the scale of economy that works best in cities: food within very easy walking distances, neighborhood shopkeepers and manufacturers, smaller schools, police patrolling on foot, real jobs nearby instead of requiring a commute; in general a scale that doesn't depend on bigness."

Thursday, April 9, 2015 in kevinklinkenberg.com

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight